Exaggerator installed as 9-5 Belmont favorite
With Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist missing from the field of 13 for Saturday’s 148th Belmont Stakes, Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator went from tossup to clear favorite at odds of 9-5 for the third leg of horse racing ’s Triple Crown.
Nyquist and Exaggerator were expected to engage in the rubber match of this Triple Crown season, but Nyquist ran a fever the day after the May 21 Preakness and his ownership group and trainer Doug O’Neill decided to pull him from consideration for the longest (11⁄ miles) of the 2 three races.
Exaggerator, the son of twotime Horse of the Year Curlin, who was a close second to filly Rags to Riches in the 2007 Belmont, had finished behind previously undefeated 2015 2-year-old male champion Nyquist four times, including the Derby on May 7, before his 31⁄ 2- length Preakness triumph.
Trained by Keith Desormeaux and ridden by his brother, Kent Desormeaux, Exaggerator is trying to become the 12th horse to win the Preakness and Belmont after falling short in the Kentucky Derby and the first since Afleet Alex in 2005.
“It’s a little different than usually us coming through the back door, but I’ve always said I’d much rather have the favorite than be 20-1,” Keith Desormeaux said. “When you’re (9-5) in your hopes of taking down a $1.5 million race, I’d much prefer that. It’s not so bad.”
Exaggerator will break from post position 11 under Hall of Fame jockey Desormeaux, whose only Belmont win came aboard Summer Bird in 2009.
“I’m truly very excited for Exaggerator, more thrilled that I’m here with my brother Keith. I just hope the story continues and we write another chapter,” Kent Desormeaux said. “I wish the race was today.”
Japanese-owned Lani, a 20-1 shot who will break from the No. 10 post, is the only horse besides Exaggerator to run in all three Triple Crown races.